McAllister, who holds the Edward L. Gaylord Chair of Public Policy at Pepperdine University, will speak on “Social Justice and the Crisis of American Public Policy.” The free lecture begins at 7 p.m. in OC’s Adams Recital Hall. A question-and-answer session will follow.

“He’s an authority on politics, said John Maple, chair of OC’s Department of History and Political Science. “He is going to make a cogent argument and provide interesting analysis of how the crises of fundamentally different political philosophies hinder government progress.”

For the first several centuries in American history, McAllister argues, there was a common political philosophy and American politics were based on similar views of what was right and proper.

A shift since the turn of the century has prompted McAllister to ask if the progressive form of social justice is fundamentally hostile to the American understanding of public policy and inconsistent with cultural, social and political experiences.

McAllister graduated from Oklahoma Christian in 1983 with a degree in history and minors in political science and English. He also holds a master’s degree from Claremont Graduate University and a doctorate in American Intellectual History from Vanderbilt University.

He has taught at Vanderbilt University, the University of the South and Hillsdale College. He also was a Visiting Fellow in the James Madison Program at Princeton University.

McAllister has authored “Revolt Against Modernity: Leo Strauss, Eric Voegelin, and the Search for a Postliberal Order” and co-edited “Why Place Matters: Geography, Identity, and Civic Life in Modern America.” He served as the editor of the “American Intellectual Culture” book series and is working on a book about Walter Lippmann and the problem of authority in modern Liberalism.

In addition to his public lecture, McAllister will speak at two OC classes, “Contemporary Political Ideologies” and “History of American Political Thought,” and host a dinner for select students interested in pursuing public policy.

“Anyone with an interest in the contemporary political scene and serious discussion of it would enjoy this lecture,” Maple said. “It will be a full day of enrichment for those who are interested in politics and public policy in the broadest sense.”

-OC--- ]]>Tue, 16 Sep 2014 13:30:00 CDT4d3e420d-0214-4098-9967-2e42cfe37e42OC lands on U.S. News ‘Best Regional University’ and A+ listshttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-lands-on-us-news-best-regional-university-and-a-plus-lists/
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Oklahoma Christian University (OC) ranks among the top 40 regional universities in the western United States, according to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2015” guidebook.

Oklahoma Christian rose to No. 40 in this year’s 15-state western rankings and is the No. 2 Oklahoma school in the “Best Regional Universities” category.

In addition to having the most National Merit Finalists per capita of all Church of Christ universities, Oklahoma Christian earned recognition on the U.S. News & World Report list of “A+ Schools for B Students,” which identifies great colleges where scholars with high school GPAs in the B range can be accepted and thrive.

This is the 16th straight year U.S. News & World Report has honored Oklahoma Christian.

“We are thrilled to be honored again as one of the best universities in the west,” OC president John deSteiguer said. “I’m also proud of this recognition of our A+ approach to B students. It speaks to the heart and quality of our professors, who work alongside our students to bring out their best and help them discover their gifts.”

The U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings assess seven broad categories: undergraduate academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rates. The full rankings are available online at www.usnews.com/colleges.

OC’s academic reputation is further seen in placement rates at or near 100 percent for accounting, communication design, history, interior design, language and literature, nursing, and political science graduates seeking jobs or acceptance into graduate school and law school.

OC biology graduates have a 95 percent medical and graduate school acceptance rate, and 100 percent of OC Honors Program graduates have been accepted to graduate school the past four years. OC’s chapter of the National History Honor Society has earned national top chapter honors for 17 straight years.

OC also boasts the second-highest state education certification exam pass rate in Oklahoma, and is on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Oklahoma Christian offers undergraduate programs in more than 60 fields of study, an undergraduate Honors Program and graduate programs in accountancy, business administration, engineering, Christian ministry, divinity, and theological studies.

The last decade has featured OC’s 10 highest enrollments ever, including a new school record this fall.

The undergraduate degree candidates, including 21 graduates from OC’s Honors Program, come from 28 states and 11 countries. They majored in a combined 38 academic disciplines at Oklahoma Christian.

The master’s degree candidates come from six states and seven countries, and represent 13 graduate areas of study.

Mark Brewer, senior vice president and chief information officer for Seagate Technology, LLC, will deliver the undergraduate commencement address on Friday. William “Chip” Kooi, a professor of theology at Oklahoma Christian, will keynote Saturday’s graduate ceremony.

Brewer leads all of Seagate Technology’s information technology operations worldwide and is a member of the company’s Executive Council.

His area consists of 1,600 IT professionals located in 20 different countries. His responsibilities include all business systems, factory information systems, electronic security, business continuity and collaboration services, as well as other traditional IT support services for Seagate’s 50,000 employees.

Kooi worked in education, pulpit ministry and inner-city ministry before returning to teach at Oklahoma Christian in 2001. An accomplished theological scholar, he has written for The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement, Leaven, and The Christian Chronicle.

Dr. Estep serves as the Medical Director of Occupational Medicine at the McBride Clinic. He also is a medical consultant for the OG&E Corporation and is Oklahoma’s Delegate to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine House of Delegates.

Leger has been involved in the recording industry, news media, banking, and healthcare. He recently accepted a position with GE’s Oil and Gas division, where he is responsible for Global IT Commercial Operations.

Loeber is a charge nurse, a new hire coach, a preceptor for nursing students, and a certified ECMO technician at OU Children’s Hospital.

Jones is the Manager of Broadcast Operations and Technical Services for the Oklahoma City Thunder, overseeing gameday television broadcasts and operations.

Montgomery recently left the University of Mississippi, where he received the Lawrence “Shaky” Yates Award for Teaching Freshman Composition, for a tenure track position at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.

Ries teaches music in the public school system in Mankato, Minn., and serves as Artistic Director of the Mankato Children’s Chorus and director of the junior high and high school choirs.

Roberts has a private practice with the OSSO Healthcare Network as part of The Physicians Group in Oklahoma City and is Director of Endoscopy at Community Hospital in south Oklahoma City.

Tabor is a partner in the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, one of the world’s largest international law firms. He has represented General Electric in many transactions, including its $20 billion joint venture with Comcast for the ownership of NBC Universal and in GE’s recent $3.3 billion acquisition of Lufkin Industries.

Dr. Wisdom is a licensed Staff Neuropsychologist in the Mental Health Care Line at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He also is an Assistant Professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Baylor College of Medicine and serves as President-Elect of the Houston Neuropsychological Society.

Cave is the Outreach Minister at Del City Church of Christ, where he preaches on Sunday nights. Herndon is a minister at South Brooke Church of Christ in Tulsa and is involved as a docent with the Philbrook Museum of Art.

Russell works with Northwest Church of Christ in Oklahoma City. Glover is the senior minister with Oakcrest Church of Christ in south Oklahoma City.

Arledge is a Solutions Consultant with the Boston-based software company Kronos, Inc. Norton has worked in various roles for MidFirst Bank, including his current job managing the bank’s Commercial Sales and Marketing group.

Rose is an Assistant Principal at Cheyenne Middle School in Edmond, and also serves as the Youth Minister at Wilshire Church of Christ.

For the last three years, the cost of attendance for OC undergraduate students has stayed the same, making Oklahoma Christian the only university in the state and the only reporting member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities that did not raise its total price. More information is available at www.oc.edu/value.

At the Summer Institute, 45 of the state’s top undergraduate and graduate students will gather to discuss Oklahoma policy issues and prepare for their future studies and careers.

The event, to be held Aug. 5-7 in Tulsa, will include seminars, panels, workshops and keynote addresses by leading policy experts from government, academia and community organizations.

One of the panels will include OC business professor Ken Miller, who serves as Oklahoma’s state treasurer. OC board chair Don Millican will moderate the panel. He also serves on the board of the Oklahoma Policy Institute.

Parette is an Honors Program student from Coweta, Okla., who serves on OC’s Honors Advisory Council. He is also a member of OC’s chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honors society. Parette was on the OC team that won Overall Outstanding Delegation at the 2012 PSA Southwest Regional Conference.

OC’s vice president for academic affairs, Scott LaMascus, encouraged Parette to apply and was not surprised he was accepted.

“Tyler is a truly amazing young man who has thrived at OC,” LaMascus said. “This event is yet another experience that will contribute to his success as a student and after graduation.”

The Summer Institute, which will be an annual event, is hosted and led by the staff of the OPI, a Tulsa-based think-tank that produces timely and credible information, analysis, and ideas on state policy issues, guided by core commitments to the fair and adequate funding of public services and the expansion of economic prosperity for all Oklahomans.

The cost of attendance for OC undergraduate students also stayed the same from 2011-12 to 2012-13.

“Affordability is a big deal to us because affordability is a big deal to students and their families,” OC president John deSteiguer said. “Holding our total price is the right thing to do again because we want students to get a first-rate higher education at the best value possible.”

OC’s undergraduate tuition will remain $18,800 for students taking up to 17 hours per semester. Average room and board costs also will stay the same for a total price of $24,975. Oklahoma Christian also is continuing its policy of not charging student fees.

According to the College Board, the average total price of private universities rose 4 percent last year to $39,518. OC was the only university in Oklahoma and the only reporting member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) that did not raise its total price in 2012-13.

“With more students being priced out of higher education, Oklahoma Christian wants to provide an affordable college home where they can discover their passion and use their talents for good,” deSteiguer said. “As President Obama said in his State of the Union address, colleges need to do their part to keep costs down. Freezing our cost of attendance for two years running is a big part of our commitment to do that.”

Factoring in scholarships and grants, OC’s average net price actually decreased in the latest reporting period for the U.S. Department of Education. More than 90 percent of Oklahoma Christian students receive financial aid, including performance and athletic scholarships, need-based financial grants, and governmental assistance.

OC’s Presidential Academic Success Scholarship rewards academic achievement tied to student performance on ACT and SAT exams. Oklahoma Christian also offers large scholarships for National Merit Scholars. OC has seven National Merit Scholars in its freshman class and 30 National Merit Finalists overall, the most per capita of all Church of Christ universities.

OC’s “no fees” approach allows students and families to better assess costs in comparison to colleges and universities that charge course fees and other significant fees on top of their tuition “sticker price.” Differential tuition will continue for students participating in nursing clinicals or taking private music lessons.

OC students can shape their costs with technology, housing, dining and other choices that best fit their budgets and needs. They also can continue to supplement their meal plans with the optional purchase of “Eagle Bucks” for tax-free dining at Alfredo’s, Chick-Fil-A, Jimmy John’s and the OC Grill.

Graduate prices will range from $400 to $495 per credit hour, with slight increases for master’s students in business and engineering. More information is available at www.oc.edu/cost and www.oc.edu/value.

OC set school records with 361 graduate students and 2,271 total students enrolled this year. The last eight years have featured OC’s eight highest total enrollments ever.

Oklahoma Christian, recognized as one of the best universities in the western United States by U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review, offers undergraduate programs in more than 60 fields of study, an undergraduate Honors Program, and graduate programs in business, engineering, ministry, and divinity.

In addition to its Oklahoma City residential campus, OC has study abroad opportunities in Europe, Honduras and the Pacific Rim. This year, Oklahoma Christian opened a Learning Support Center in Kigali, Rwanda, allowing Rwandan students to study in OC’s online MBA program.

-- ]]>Sat, 03 Nov 2012 00:46:00 CDT3cf2b8be-4c58-4482-8ee0-ce5ba103a9aeOC teams place first, third in state ethics contesthttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-teams-place-first-third-in-state-ethics-contest/
A student team from Oklahoma Christian University won the Statewide Student Ethics Challenge in Norman.

Another OC team placed third in the contest, which featured 16 teams from 10 universities across the state.

OC’s winning team, the Aguilas, won all of its matches while its other team, the Eagles, went undefeated with one tie against a squad from the University of Oklahoma.

Both Oklahoma Christian teams advance to the Regional Ethics Bowl on Nov. 17 in San Antonio, with a chance to move on to the National Ethics Bowl in Cincinnati.

“It gives one confidence in the future when you consider that students from across our state are spending time considering the ethics involved with various situations,” said Dr. Jeff Simmons, an associate professor of business at Oklahoma Christian who coaches OC’s ethics teams. “I am proud to be able to work at OC where we have some of the best students you’ll find anywhere.”

The Statewide Student Ethics Challenge is sponsored by the Oklahoma Business Ethics Foundation, which supports initiatives promoting ethical behavior on campuses throughout the state.

The schools in the competition were OC, OU, Cameron University, Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma State University, Southern Nazarene University, the University of Central Oklahoma, the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa.

The members of OC’s Aguilas team were Hannah Ketring, a junior English major from Flanagan, Ill.; Brandon McWaters, a senior history/pre-law major from Ponchatoula, La.; and Genesis Rodriguez, a senior political science major from San Antonio, Texas.

OC’s Eagles team members were Christian Asbill, a junior political science major from Grapevine, Texas; Chas Carter, a sophomore English/pre-law major from Allen, Texas; and Austin Hughes, a junior management major from Tuttle, Okla.

The contest cases covered a variety of topics, including employer response to employees’ personal social media sites, graffiti as free speech, student loan policy in a struggling economy, open-source citations in professor and student research, and the Family Medical Leave Act.

OC’s next ethics-focused activity is the sixth-annual J.J. Millican Ethics Symposium on Nov. 13. Former NFL and NCAA football coach Gene Stallings will be the keynote speaker for the on-campus event. More information is available at www.oc.edu/stallings.

Stallings led the University of Alabama to the 1992 national championship and also served as head coach at Texas A&M University and for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. He was a longtime assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys under head coach Tom Landry.

-OC-

-- ]]>Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:21:00 CDTd01cee45-5546-4925-809d-a76e2aa83242OC History Students Win National Award For 16th Straight Yearhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-history-students-win-national-award-for-16th-straight-year/
OC’s history honor society was chosen as a Best Chapter in the nation among smaller universities for the 16th consecutive year and 17th time overall.

“The students deserve the credit for this exciting achievement,” said John Maple, the group’s sponsor and chair of the department of history and political science. “Their pursuit of excellence in chapter activities resulted in this recognition from the national office.”

OC’s chapter is a member of Phi Alpha Theta, an honor society for college history students and professors in the United States. The society hosts regional and national conferences in which more than 350,000 students from 860 chapters compete. The OC chapter, known as Tau Sigma, competed against other universities that had won five or more Best Chapter awards, and that have up to 3,000 students. The latter category has more schools competing against each other than any other Phi Alpha Theta division.

“We are very proud of the accomplishments of Tau Sigma and their pursuit of excellence in all they do,” said Mike O’Neal, president of Oklahoma Christian. “We know it takes a lot of hard work and academic prowess to achieve such a distinction.”

OC’s chapter engages in a number of activities for which it was recognized as a best chapter. Six Tau Sigma members presented their scholarship at the Oklahoma Regional Conference. Students raised funds to attend the bi-annual National Conference in Orlando next year, and they helped host History Day, an annual academic competition for 6th-12th graders on the OC campus. The chapter also hosted a session on how to seek admission to law school, as well as other activities.

“The chapter demonstrated a servant spirit by contributing to activities that they themselves didn’t always benefit from,” Maple said. “It was very inspiring to see seniors raising funds for travel to next year’s conference even though those students will not be here to attend.”

Tau Sigma also entered volume 19 of the Oklahoma Christian University Journal of Historical Studies in the Phi Alpha Theta’s Nash History Journal competition. This year’s winners have not been announced, but the chapter placed third last year.

“Editors Rachel Helton and Ben Peterson were able to use student scholarship to produce an excellent journal,” Maple said. “Eight articles and a book review fill up the 105 pages.”

One other person that Maple said deserved praise was history professor Matt McCook, who is also the chapter’s associate sponsor.

“Matt was at virtually every chapter activity last year,” Maple said. “After having a rough year with my health, I really appreciated his contributions.”

The Best Chapter honor also comes with a $250 stipend.

“By winning this competition so many times, our history students have earned more than $4,200 to help fund library purchases here at Oklahoma Christian,” said Maple.

-- ]]>Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:09:00 CDT2dae159f-ed55-4267-bff1-70ef33e9738bOC Named "A Best in The West" College by The Princeton Reviewhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc-named-a-best-in-the-west-college-by-the-princeton-review/
Oklahoma Christian University is one of the best colleges in the West according to the nationally known education services company, The Princeton Review. It is one of 121 institutions The Princeton Review recommends in its “Best in the West” section of its website feature, “2012 Best Colleges: Region by Region.”

“We are honored to be ranked among the best universities in the West region,” said Mike O’Neal, president of Oklahoma Christian. “This is a reflection of the hard work of our dedicated faculty, staff and students.”

For this project, The Princeton Review asked students attending the schools to rate their own colleges on several issues—from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food—and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students and their campus life.

“We’re pleased to recommend Oklahoma Christian to users of our site as one of the best schools to earn their degree,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s publisher. “We chose it mainly for its excellent academic programs. From several hundred schools in each region, we winnowed our list based on institutional data we collected directly from the schools, our visits to schools over the years, and the opinions of our staff, plus college counselors and advisors whose recommendations we invite.

The Princeton Review also takes into account what students at the schools reported about their campus experiences on an 80-question student survey for this project. Only schools that permit the group to independently survey their students are eligible to be considered for the regional “Best” lists.

The 121 colleges that The Princeton Review chose for its “Best in the West” list are located in 15 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Collectively, the 629 colleges named “regional best” constitute about 25 percent of the nation’s 2,500 four-year colleges.

Last year The Princeton Review also named Oklahoma Christian as one of the top 50 undergraduate gaming design programs in the nation. It was the only one in Oklahoma to make the list.

-- ]]>Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:08:00 CDT723df8be-7e88-4126-b6c6-378660a1cf35 OC History Professor and Student Chosen for Honorshttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc_history_professor_and_student_chosen_for_honors/
Matt McCook, professor of history, received a fellowship from the Filson Historical Society for one week of study this summer at the organization’s headquarters. McCook’s research project is titled “Aliens in the World: Sectarians, Secularists, and the Second Great Awakening.”

The Filson Historical Society is located in Louisville, Ky., and is named after that state’s first historian, John Filson. Founded in 1884, it is a privately supported historical society. Today, thousands of people visit annually to conduct research, attend programs and tour The Filson’s headquarters, the Ferguson Mansion, and the museum.

In addition, OC student Ben Peterson, a History major in the Honors Program, has been selected as a staff member for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities’ Middle East Studies program in Cairo, Egypt. Peterson just completed his fall semester studying as a student in the program, and he will graduate from OC in the spring. He made such a strong impression with the CCCU that he was one of two students offered a program assistant position for fall of this year and spring of next year.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity, and I think it will be a great chance to keep learning about the region,” said Peterson. “The two program assistants are in charge of planning a lot of the activities, matching students up with Egyptian ‘buddies’ for the culture and language exchange component of the program and leading some of the weekend trips in Egypt.”

The CCCU is an international association of intentionally Christian colleges and universities. It has 111 members in North America and 73 affiliate institutions in 24 countries. The Middle East Studies Program allows students to explore and interact with the complex and strategic world of the modern Middle East. The interdisciplinary seminars give students the opportunity to explore the diverse religious, social, cultural and political traditions of Middle Eastern peoples. Students also study the Arabic language and work as volunteers with various organizations in Cairo. Through travel to Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Turkey, students are exposed to the diversity and dynamism of the region.

-- ]]>Thu, 27 Jan 2011 06:01:00 CST86377824-ca4c-4103-82b7-b7f8bf4b03d0 OC History Students Place Third in National Journal Competitionhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc_history_students_place_third_in_national_journal_competition/
For the second time in three years, OC’s history honor society placed third in Phi Alpha Theta’s national Nash History Journal competition.

“I want to give a hearty ‘well done’ to editor Kevin Anders and all the students who produced quality papers and book reviews,” said John Maple, the group’s sponsor and chair of the department of history and political science.

Phi Alpha Theta is an honor society for college history students and professors in the United States. It hosts regional and national conferences in which more than 350,000 students from 870 chapters compete. The OC chapter, known as Tau Sigma, was recognized earlier this year as a Best Chapter in the nation among smaller universities for the 15th consecutive year and 16th time overall.

“The Tau Sigma chapter at Oklahoma Christian University stands as an example to our other chapters. The time and effort required to produce a historical journal is immense, and John’s willingness to undertake this task and maintain such a high standard of quality proves his and his students’ dedication to the study of history.”

OC President Mike O’Neal praised OC’s chapter as well.

“Congratulations to our Tau Sigma chapter for an unblemished and distinguished record. John and his students bring great honor to OC.”

The Tau Sigma chapter will be honored at the end of chapel Friday when Maple presents the students with a certificate recognizing the club’s accomplishment.

-- ]]>Thu, 11 Nov 2010 04:11:00 CST2c4506d7-a1f8-43b9-9ecd-a2343e6f119c OC History Students Win National Award For 15th Straight Yearhttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/oc_history_students_win_national_award_once_again/
OC’s history honor society was honored as a Best Chapter in the nation among smaller universities for the 15th consecutive year and 16th time overall.

“We continue to be incredibly proud of our students’ outstanding performance in chapter activities,” said John Maple, the group’s sponsor and chair of the department of history and political science. “The students truly earned this excellent achievement.”

OC’s chapter is a member of Phi Alpha Theta, an honor society for college history students and professors in the United States. The society hosts regional and national conferences in which more than 350,000 students from 860 chapters compete. The OC chapter, known as Tau Sigma, competed against other universities that had won five or more Best Chapter awards, and that have up to 3,000 students. The latter category has more schools competing against each other than any other Phi Alpha Theta division. The chapter engages in a number of activities for which it was recognized as a best chapter.

Five Tau Sigma members presented their scholarship at the Oklahoma Regional Conference and one took third place in the European History—Undergraduate category. Six students read papers at the National Conference in San Diego. According to Maple, president Emily Stites, vice president Kevin Anders, secretary/treasurer Ben Peterson and historians Leah Long and Rachel Helton provided excellent leadership.

Tau Sigma also entered volume 18 of the Oklahoma Christian University Journal of Historical Studies in the Phi Alpha Theta’s Nash History Journal competition. This year’s winners have not been announced, but the chapter placed third just three years ago.

“With Admissions contributing funds to help cover the costs, editor Kevin Anders was able to use student scholarship to produce an excellent journal,” Maple said. “Eight articles and a book review fill up the 141 pages.”

In addition, Tau Sigma also helps host History Day, an annual academic competition for 6th-12th graders on the OC campus.

The Best Chapter honor also comes with a $250 stipend.

“By winning this competition so many times, our history students have earned $4,000 to help fund library purchases here at Oklahoma Christian,” said Maple.

Five Oklahoma Christian University students were selected to present papers at the nation’s leading student history conference Jan. 6-9. Phi Alpha Theta, an honor society for college history students and professors, hosted the convention in San Diego.

“This is the largest group of presenters we have ever had at the national conference,” said John Maple, sponsor of OC’s chapter of Phi Alpha Theta and chair of the department of history and political science. “We are incredibly proud of each of them.”

The students’ topics ranged from Aristotle, Martin Luther and Winston Churchill to Ancient Rome and Cold War cinema. According to Matt McCook, the students made a strong impression on the panel members.

“After one of the presentations, a panel member commented that the paper was worthy of publication in a professional journal,” said McCook, an associate professor of history who attended the conference with the students. “That is something that’s rarely said about undergraduate research. It really speaks to these students’ abilities and accomplishments.”

Will Coleson, a senior from Oxford, Ala., presented a paper on “Two Challenges to Aristotle in the Late Medieval Era.” Leah Long discussed “Martin Luther and Women,” while Ben Peterson, a junior from Austin, Texas, addressed “Victory at Great Cost: Winston Churchill and the Allied Bombing of Dresden.” Rachel Helton, a junior from Abita Springs, La., presented a paper on “The Importance of Roman Religion in the Augustan Age.” Kevin Anders, a senior from Edmond, discussed “Happily Ever After? or: How Americans Never Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb in Cold War Cinema.”

About The Phi Alpha Theta Convention
At its biennial convention, undergraduate and graduate students have the opportunity to meet distinguished historians and to present their own research papers. Phi Alpha Theta is one of the few honor and professional historical societies that encourages student participation in all its functions. Prominent historians also appear on the program of every biennial convention, allowing members of the Society the opportunity to learn about these historians’ contributions to scholarship. The biennial convention is highlighted by special events and tours of sites of historical interest.

-- ]]>Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:01:00 CST1cdee784-1974-4459-8695-c98bc01e7c30 Political science students compete at Model Arab Leaguehttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/political_science_students_compete_at_model_arab_league/
Ten Oklahoma Christian University Political Science students attended the Model Arab League Intercollegiate competition held at the University of North Texas on April 16-18. There were schools from 4 different states in attendance, and many brought more than one group to participate. The Universities in attendance were: University of North Texas (2 delegations), Midwestern State University, Texas Wesleyan University (2 delegations), Baylor University (2 delegations), Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma Baptist University, University of Arkansas Little Rock (2 delegations), and Missouri State University.

The students competed in one of five committees (Political Affairs, Joint Defense, Palestinian Affairs, Environmental Affairs, and Social Affairs) representing the country of Syria. The students must research completely the position of their country and the position of all other countries that are members of the Arab League. They then must argue and debate their stance on several topics in each committee by introducing resolutions and voting on other countries’ proposed actions.

Our students won first place in one of the committees (political) and second place in two other committees (social and environmental), and the delegation won third out of 12 delegations in the overall competition. This is only the third year that Oklahoma has attended this conference, and in such a short time, they have received the respect and admiration of faculty at other universities. I am very proud of their hard work. Most of the other schools had courses to help them prepare for this event. Our students prepared on their own time, and it just shows the level of intelligence and commitment our students have towards educational opportunities.

-- ]]>Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:04:00 CDT27600b9b-fb85-4b1d-b9e3-87429bab2870 History students receive awards at conferencehttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/history_students_receive_awards_at_conference/
From Dr. John Maple, chair of the Department of History and Political Science:

I’m very pleased to share with you some good news about the Tau Sigma Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honor Society. Nine students attended the Oklahoma Regional Conference at the University of Central Oklahoma on Friday evening and Saturday, March 6-7. Six of the nine presented scholarly papers, and three of the six won awards. Thus, in competition against students from other universities in the state for seven undergraduate awards, OC students won three of the seven.
Leah Long, senior History major from Lubbock, TX, read her paper, “Martin Luther and Women”, and won first place in the European History, Undergraduate category. Judge Jane Wickersham, a Renaissance and Reformation specialist at OU, said that Leah handled “contradictory primary sources with sensitivity.”
Ben Peterson, sophomore History/Pre-Law major from Austin, TX, took third place in the same category with his paper, “Oliver Cromwell’s Western Design.” Ben wrote the paper last year in the Honors class, Western Thought and Expression since the Renaissance.
Daniel McCormack, senior History and Political Science double major from Franklin, TN, won second place in the American History, Undergraduate category, for his paper, “Defenders of the Faith: Neoconservatives in Reagan’s Central American Policy.” This is Daniel’s third year to win an award in this category.
I am naturally quite pleased with this fine showing, and proud of the outstanding performance of these students.

-- ]]>Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:03:00 CDT67a918e3-a17f-4f3e-9a8e-4500709acd5c Professor interviewed for political insighthttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/professor_interviewed_for_political_insight/
Dr. Raymon Huston, Associate Professor of Political Science at OC, was recently interviewed by NewsOK.tv for his insight into John McCain’s pick of Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential candidate.

To learn more about OC’s Department of History and Political Science, click here.

I’m very pleased to announce that the Tau Sigma Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta has won its 13th consecutive (and 14th overall) Best Chapter Award. The chapter competed in Division 1, universities with 3000 and fewer students, and in the Nels A. Cleven category, for universities that have won 5 or more Best Chapter Awards.
The students deserve the credit for this exciting achievement. Tau Sigma members presented their scholarship at both the Oklahoma Regional Conference and the National Conference, took 1st and 2nd in the American History—Undergraduate category at the Oklahoma Regional, helped host History Day, published a journal, and engaged in a number of other activities.
The chapter entered volume 16 of the Oklahoma Christian University Journal of Historical Studies in the Nash Journal Award competition. Volume 15 placed third last year. We should find out the results in another couple of months.

Dean of the College of Arts and Science David Lowry adds that “John Maple and his crew are absolutely awesome! What a fantastic accomplishment. All of us in CoAS are proud as can be of you! This department is setting a high standard for academics on this campus. And though John is a modest man, he deserves much of the credit because of his leadership style, attention to detail and his rigorous expectations of academic excellence.”
Many congratulations to the Department of History and Political Science!

-- ]]>Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:09:00 CDT996253e1-594b-4ce9-baf2-c8db9898a2f9 History professor to present at national conferencehttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/history_professor_to_present_at_national_conference/
Dr. Matt McCook, Assistant Professor of History at Oklahoma Christian University, proposed a panel and will be presenting a paper as part of that panel at the American Society of Church History meeting in New York City in January of 2009.

The ASCH sessions are part of the meeting of the American Historical Association- the oldest, largest and most prestigious history professional organization in the US.

Be sure to congratulate Dr. McCook for this honor! Our faculty members continue to serve not only our university, but also the greater academic community, through their many accomplishments in their fields of expertise.

-- ]]>Wed, 14 May 2008 10:05:00 CDTc825bfdc-c974-4d5e-a65a-94d151b0ba63 Arts and Sciences Dean's Award recipientshttp://www.oc.edu/news/r/college_of_arts_and_sciences_announces_deans_award_recipients/
Dr. David Lowry, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, announces the recipients of this year’s Dean’s Award. The Dean’s Award is given at the end of the school year to recognize outstanding students from each department. A small reception for faculty, family, and friends was held on Friday, April 11, at 4:00 p.m. to honor these students.

Art & Design
The Art & Design Department has selected two recipients to receive the 2008 Dean’s Award. The first recipient is Jacob Berkin. Jacob is a senior ART BFA major. He exemplifies strong leadership in the department, and students often seek and trust his fair and open-minded insights. Jacob is always willing to lend a hand and help in order to get a project done. He is a person of action who has started a company with some friends. He maintains a positive outlook is a hard worker.

The second recipient is Whitney Parker. Whitney is a senior Graphic Design/Illustration major; she is a talented and gifted artist and designer. Aside from school and her participation in Pi Zeta Phi service club, Whitney has been instrumental in the creation and development of Wishing Well, a non profit organization that uses art and other creative means to raise money for clean water wells in Africa. She has a heart for helping others; she also is a leader in the department, an organizer, and motivator. She is always upbeat, has a positive outlook and is very hard-working.

Biology
The Biology Department is pleased to recognize Cassandra Tyler as the Dean’s Award winner. Excellence is a rare commodity by definition and Cassie Tyler pursues excellence in both her academic and athletic endeavors. She has been named an NAIA Scholar Athlete and placed on ESPN the Magazine’s Academic All-America College Division soccer team for 2006 and 2007. Cassie was awarded the Perry Don McBroom Math and Science Scholarship and has been a member of the Alpha Chi honor society. She has been a member of the Pi Zeta Phi social service club and studied abroad with the Vienna Studies Program in 2006. In addition to her participation with the OC Soccer team, she has worked as a laboratory assistant in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center where she worked to crystallize trypanosomal RNA. She will be starting medical school in the Fall of 2008.

Chemistry & Physics
Amelia Enix is receiving the Dean’s Award from the Chemistry and Physics Department. Amelia is originally from the state of Florida, but more recently is from St. Louis, where she attended high school. She will be graduating in December and hopes to attend graduate school to study physical chemistry beginning in the Fall of 2009. She has particular interest in Vanderbilt University in Nashville and Oxford University in England. Amelia is also interested in exploring pharmacy and will be working as a pharmacy technician after graduating from OC and before graduate school. She has served as a Teaching Assistant in General Chemistry and has co-authored a toxicology informational article with Dr. Luttrell that will be published in the Journal of Chemical Health and Safety.

Communication
The Dean’s Award for Communication goes to Dacia Dodson. As a broadcast journalism major, Dacia served as a reporter and the assignment editor for the campus news station, Eagle Angle. Outside the classroom, she participated in a number of activities including the service club Pi Zeta Phi and Relay for Life. Dacia serves as The National Broadcast Society’s Vice President of Fundraising for the OC chapter. In the summer of 2007, she was given the opportunity to intern at The Oklahoman in the Multi-Media Department and currently is employed as a full-time online editor. Dacia is graduating Magna Cum Laude at the end of April and plans to continue her education, earning a masters degree in business or communication.

History & Political Science
The Dean’s Award for History and Political Science goes to Elaine Ekpo. Elaine is one of the Honors students and a History/Pre-law major, who will graduate in December, 2008. She spent the 2007 fall term at Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University as part of the CCCU Scholars’ Semester in Oxford. During that very rigorous term, she researched and wrote a number of papers, earning excellent marks in the process. A member of Phi Alpha Theta, she presented a paper at the Phi Alpha Theta Oklahoma Regional Conference last year and presented one of her Oxford papers at the same conference on Saturday, March 8. She is planning on attending law school in her home state of California.

Language & Literature
Paul Mitchell is the recipient of the Dean’s Award for the Language and Literature Department and is a most deserving student. He has been published twice this year, has been accepted to and attended the national Sigma Tau Delta Conference three years in a row. Paul served as Writing Center Director this year, and has been a Writing Center tutor for 3 years. He was an assistant editor for the Language and Literature Department’s publication, Soundings, for three years and for “Skinny Voice” for two years. Paul has directed and acted in many theater productions while maintaining a high GPA. We are proud to call him a graduate of the Language & Literature Department.

Music
Adam Bruce is the recipient of the Music Award. Adam has served as the Oklahoma Christian University Symphonic Band President from 2006-2008, as the Symphonic Band Chaplain during 2005-2006, and he was named the Outstanding Band Member from 2005-2007. Adam is also a member of the OC Jazz Ensemble, the Sweat Band, and the Percussion Ensemble. During 2006-07, he was Kappa Sigma Tau’s Rush Director, and he has also been selected as a Whose Who Among American College Students recipient. Adam’s numerous other activities include serving as the Spring Sing Band Director in 2006, playing in the Oklahoma Community Orchestra, performing in the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps and performing with OMEA Collegiate Honor Band in 2006 and 2008. He is also a Gateway World Percussion Adjunct Instructor and a Marching and Concert Band instructor/arranger for Edmond Memorial High School. He received the Joni Rice Memorial Percussion Award in 2006 and is a member of the Pi Lambda Theta Honor Society for Education Majors. His honors in 2005 include being named as the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps Outstanding Percussionist, performing with the College Band Directors National Association Intercollegiate Small College Honor Band at Lincoln Center in NYC, being named the Redbud Jazz Festival Outstanding Soloist, and being selected as Oklahoma Christian University’s Outstanding Freshman Music Major in 2004-2005. He is scheduled to graduate in December 2008.

Nursing
Christy Hallock is a Senior Nursing major at Oklahoma Christian University and is the receiver of the Dean’s Award from Nursing. This is Christy’s second degree at Oklahoma Christian. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Biology in 2005. While earning her first degree at Oklahoma Christian, Christy was involved in the social service club of Gamma Rho, where she served as Rush director in 2004 and as Vice President in 2005. After the 2005 fall semester, Christy made the decision to continue with Oklahoma Christian in their efforts to build their own Nursing Program, and she was accepted into Oklahoma Christian’s first nursing class in the summer of 2006. She was voted Class President by her peers and serves her class and the faculty as a connection between the two. She, along with other officers, have been raising money and planning for Oklahoma Christian’s Inaugural Pinning Ceremony for the past year and a half. She is currently employed by OU Medical Center at The Children’s Hospital on the Surgical Unit as a Nurse Partner. After graduation, Christy plans on working for The Children’s Hospital on the Surgical Unit. Christy states that her decision to come back to Oklahoma Christian for Nursing School has definitely been guided and blessed by God.

Psychology and Family Studies
Mikiko Imura’s home is in Sapporo, which is located in the northern island of Japan. She first came to Oklahoma four years ago to study business at UCO, but she transferred to OC in the spring of 2006. When Mikiko took Psychology to fulfill her general education requirement, she soon realized how interested she was in the subject. She is a member of Psi Chi, the Psychology Club. Mikiko reports none of her family members have had the experience of studying abroad; none of them even know what Psychology is, so it is a great wonder to her that she is at OC, majoring in psychology. Even though her family members don’t know about psychology, they are very supportive of Mikiko achieving an education, and she really appreciates their support. After Mikiko graduates this summer, she plans to work for one year and then go to a graduate school to study environmental psychology.

We had a very good showing at the Model Arab League competition this year. Two of our students, Ashley Weber and Brittany Mounce, received awards for Outstanding Delegates and two others, Mike Patton and Dan McCormack, received Honorable Mention awards. I am very proud of the way they participated and their actions at the conference and off campus. Many of the faculty commented to me how well the students were doing and how confidently they presented themselves.

Thank you for allowing us to go and supporting our efforts. I feel that it is important for the students to get a feel of how others outside America think. This competition forces the students to research and discuss topics based on the views of Arabs. We represented the country of Iraq this year.

If you see these students, be sure to congratulate them and their professors.